“In my earlier years of practice, high blood pressure was mostly an issue of the mature and old folk starting from 50 years, but now, we see 25 to 35-year-old hypertensive patients.”
Adams, decrying the rate of sudden deaths among Nigerian young adults, blamed the development on young life mentality syndrome and lack of preventive measures among the younger people.
“The first issue with the younger generation is the false and unwise belief that they are young and thus, do not need to regularly check themselves.
“The second is the fact that they are not taking preventive measures, as well as lack of public information and sensitisation about the dangers associated with hypertension and even low blood pressure,” he said.
Another consultant cardiologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Ramon Moronkola, noted that sudden emotional surge, either extreme excitement or sadness, can put a lot of pressure on the cardiovascular system of an individual.
Moronkola explained that underlying untreated cardiovascular health conditions could trigger causes that might lead to sudden death of an individual.
“But, in a situation where the individual already has some malfunctions in the system, it can result in a sudden cardiac attack.
“There are situations where people die suddenly during emotional surge. In that situation, it can happen when an individual is extremely happy or grieved.
“Similarly, during football matches, people are really tense. There is a lot of emotional commitment/assertion; this may put a lot of pressure on an individual’s cardiovascular system.
“If such an individual has no underlying health conditions, it usually doesn’t cause a problem.
“But in a situation that such an individual has underlying cardiovascular disease, maybe the person is hypertensive or diabetic and he doesn’t know, he/she can develop heart attack or heart failure and die,” he said.
Also speaking on possible causes and dynamics of hypertension, a consultant family and lifestyle medicine physician, Dr Moyosore Makinde, identifies ‘stress’ as a major cause of high blood pressure and sudden death among Nigerian adults.
Makinde laments that many people have suddenly slumped and died due to accumulated stress, advising that people pay attention to their health, prioritise sleep and rest because they are fundamental to good health.
“For a person living with chronic stress, the result can be chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke,” she said.
According to her, most hypertension-related complications are preventable with lifestyle change strategies combined with antihypertensive drug therapy.
To reduce one’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, Makinde also recommended that individuals reduce their salt, caloric and alcohol intake and as well avoid stress.
“Young adults should embrace preventive measures and therapeutic lifestyle changes that can help to live healthy lives and thereby curb the prevalence of hypertension.
“Therapeutic lifestyle changes are important for individuals with hypertension and are particularly important for those with elevated cardiovascular disease risk factors such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes.
“People should follow an eating pattern that includes nutrient-dense food and beverages, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and nuts and seeds, while limiting sodium, added sugars, saturated fats and alcohol,” she added.
